<p>In a display of unity and devotion, India's top sporting personalities&nbsp;have descended upon Ayodhya&nbsp;in large numbers&nbsp;to take part in the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir on Monday (Jan 22). The star-studded guest list includes various sporting icons from the country such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli,Anil Kumble, Venkatesh Prasad and Neeraj Chopra.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">VIDEO | Former cricketer <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> arrives in Ayodhya to attend <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RamMandirPranPratishtha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RamMandirPranPratishtha</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AyodhyaRamMandir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AyodhyaRamMandir</a> <a href="https://t.co/tsCzVABlmU">pic.twitter.com/tsCzVABlmU</a></p>
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1749283601441497267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sachin Tendulkar has reached Ayodhya🧡<br />
Those who are saying that Virat has arrived, I know this but no proper video has come so there is doubt<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SachinTendulkar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SachinTendulkar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AyodhaRamMandir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AyodhaRamMandir</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/viratkohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#viratkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/hMim71e9ew">pic.twitter.com/hMim71e9ew</a></p>
— 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) <a href="https://twitter.com/wrogn_edits/status/1749287069506273455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Virat Kohli has reached Ayodhya after the Practice Session 😍❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/viratkohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#viratkohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AyodhaRamMandir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AyodhaRamMandir</a> <a href="https://t.co/adQQyhtfy5">pic.twitter.com/adQQyhtfy5</a></p>
— 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) <a href="https://twitter.com/wrogn_edits/status/1749113687250731336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mithali Raj at the Ram Temple ahead of the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Rama. <a href="https://t.co/YJtFs5vfww">pic.twitter.com/YJtFs5vfww</a></p>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1749297333496664544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Say it , Sing it , Roar it<br />
Jai Shree Ram 🙏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/jY75bVyQT2">pic.twitter.com/jY75bVyQT2</a></p>
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkateshprasad/status/1749287317884584128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ram-mandir-consecration-ceremony-ranbir-kapoor-alia-bhatt-and-rohit-shetty-jet-off-to-ayodhya-682198">Ram Mandir Consecration ceremony: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan &amp; more celebs arrive in Ayodhya</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | Veteran cricketer Anil Kumble says, "It is a wonderful occasion, a very divine occasion. Blessed to be a part of this. It's very historic. Looking forward to seeking blessings from Ram Lalla..." <a href="https://t.co/zKodiqk1bG">pic.twitter.com/zKodiqk1bG</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1749297818052038888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Other sports personalities such as Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Harmanpreet Kaur, Saina Nehwal, PT Usha, PV Sindhu, Pullela Gopichand, Viswanathan Anand, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, etc. have also been invited and expected to be part of the event.</p>

<p>The Ram Mandir&nbsp;consecration ceremony&nbsp;has been a huge talking point nationwide. It&nbsp;is not only being attended by famous sports personalities but by many big names from various fields. The likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Ayushman Khurana have also arrived in Ayodhya.</p>

<p>It is to be noted that Ram temple&nbsp;consecration ceremony on Monday&nbsp;in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya will take place&nbsp;exactly four years after the landmark judgement from the Supreme Court of India. The mega event will comprise the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla (idol of infant Lord Ram), with the rituals led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (who has already arrived at the venue).</p>

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<p>The Ram temple has been designed in the traditional Nagara style. The dimensions of the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet wide and 161 feet tall. Chandrakant Sompura and his son Ashish designed&nbsp;the new structure ahead of the ceremony.</p>


In a display of unity and devotion, India's top sporting personalities have descended upon Ayodhya in large numbers to take part in the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir on Monday (Jan 22).

In a display of unity and devotion, India's top sporting personalities have descended upon Ayodhya in large numbers to take part in the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir on Monday (Jan 22). The star-studded guest list includes various sporting icons from the country such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli,Anil Kumble, Venkatesh Prasad and Neeraj Chopra. VIDEO | Former cricketer @sachin_rt arrives in Ayodhya to attend #RamMandirPranPratishtha.#AyodhyaRamMandir pic.twitter.com/tsCzVABlmU — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2024 × Sachin Tendulkar has reached Ayodhya🧡 Those who are saying that Virat has arrived, I know this but no proper video has come so there is doubt#SachinTendulkar #AyodhaRamMandir #viratkohli pic.twitter.com/hMim71e9ew — 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) January 22, 2024 × Virat Kohli has reached Ayodhya after the Practice Session 😍❤️#viratkohli #AyodhaRamMandir pic.twitter.com/adQQyhtfy5 — 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) January 21, 2024 × Mithali Raj at the Ram Temple ahead of the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Rama. pic.twitter.com/YJtFs5vfww — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 22, 2024 × Say it , Sing it , Roar it Jai Shree Ram 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/jY75bVyQT2 — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 22, 2024 × Also read: Ram Mandir Consecration ceremony: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan & more celebs arrive in Ayodhya #WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | Veteran cricketer Anil Kumble says, "It is a wonderful occasion, a very divine occasion. Blessed to be a part of this. It's very historic. Looking forward to seeking blessings from Ram Lalla..." pic.twitter.com/zKodiqk1bG — ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2024 × Other sports personalities such as Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Harmanpreet Kaur, Saina Nehwal, PT Usha, PV Sindhu, Pullela Gopichand, Viswanathan Anand, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, etc. have also been invited and expected to be part of the event. The Ram Mandir consecration ceremony has been a huge talking point nationwide. It is not only being attended by famous sports personalities but by many big names from various fields. The likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Ayushman Khurana have also arrived in Ayodhya. It is to be noted that Ram temple consecration ceremony on Monday in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya will take place exactly four years after the landmark judgement from the Supreme Court of India. The mega event will comprise the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla (idol of infant Lord Ram), with the rituals led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (who has already arrived at the venue). × The Ram temple has been designed in the traditional Nagara style. The dimensions of the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet wide and 161 feet tall. Chandrakant Sompura and his son Ashish designed the new structure ahead of the ceremony.

Ram Mandir ceremony: Tendulkar, Kumble and other sports personalities attend consecration

<p>PM Modi will be visiting the 10th-century Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya as he prepares to attend the groundbreaking ceremony in the historic city. PM Modi will also be offering prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi after his temple visit ahead of the &nbsp;‘bhoomi pujan’ ceremony.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-blog-pm-modi-leaves-for-ayodhya-to-attend-temple-groundbreaking-ceremony-318200">Live Blog:&nbsp;Live blog: PM Modi leaves for Ayodhya to attend temple groundbreaking ceremony</a></p>

<p>India's prime minister will reportedly be gifted a headgear and a silver crown at Hanumangarhi temple. The temple is enshrined in Hindu consciousness with people of all hues including political leaders having visited it for centuries. A devotee usually visits the Hanuman temple first before visiting the Ram temple.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:</strong></p>

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<p>According to Hindu mythology after Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya, Hanuman began living at the temple, hence the name Hanumangarh.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-temple-remains-and-idol-residues-found-in-ayodhya-300141">In pictures: Temple remains and idol residues found in Ayodhya</a></p>

<p>The grand temple complex&nbsp;spread over several acres of land and attracts several thousand devotees each day which is located near the Ram Janmabhoomi. The Indian prime minister will perform a puja at the temple along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.</p>

<p>After offering prayers at Hanumangarhi, the prime minister will travel to 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi' where he will take part in pooja and darshan of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'.</p>

<p>The Indian prime minister will also plant a Parijat (Indian night jasmine) sapling. The prime minister will also unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone and will release a commemorative postage stamp on the 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


PM Modi will be visiting the 10th-century Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya as he prepares to attend the groundbreaking ceremony in the historic city. PM Modi will also be offering prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi after his temple visit ahead of the ‘bhoomi pujan’ ceremony.

PM Modi will be visiting the 10th-century Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya as he prepares to attend the groundbreaking ceremony in the historic city. PM Modi will also be offering prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi after his temple visit ahead of the ‘bhoomi pujan’ ceremony. Live Blog: Live blog: PM Modi leaves for Ayodhya to attend temple groundbreaking ceremony India's prime minister will reportedly be gifted a headgear and a silver crown at Hanumangarhi temple. The temple is enshrined in Hindu consciousness with people of all hues including political leaders having visited it for centuries. A devotee usually visits the Hanuman temple first before visiting the Ram temple. Watch: According to Hindu mythology after Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya, Hanuman began living at the temple, hence the name Hanumangarh. In pictures: Temple remains and idol residues found in Ayodhya The grand temple complex spread over several acres of land and attracts several thousand devotees each day which is located near the Ram Janmabhoomi. The Indian prime minister will perform a puja at the temple along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. After offering prayers at Hanumangarhi, the prime minister will travel to 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi' where he will take part in pooja and darshan of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'. The Indian prime minister will also plant a Parijat (Indian night jasmine) sapling. The prime minister will also unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone and will release a commemorative postage stamp on the 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'.

Why PM Modi will first visit Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya

<p>It is for a reason, it is said that laws represent social consensus, but they don’t create social consensus. Communist regimes are the best example where the state enacted laws were used to recreate social consensus and change human behaviour. The idea failed. From the concept of private property to the idea of God, Communism failed to alter the system of ethics which had evolved in respective nations over centuries.</p>

<p>Laws can be progressive and push people to alter practices but it cannot force a belief pattern. It is for this reason the Greek Orthodox Church made a complete recovery in Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed. Even secular Turkey is witnessing an Islamic resurgence and Hagia Sophia is a mosque again. A secular Iran in 1979 turned into a theological state and Afghanistan’s secularisation process resulted in an Islamic upsurge which is being piloted by Taliban today. &nbsp;</p>

<p>India's case is different but tells a similar story. A story which demonstrates that social consensus and laws need to meet halfway. With Prime Minister Modi participating in the Ram Mandir groundbreaking ceremony, without changing the law, nationalism in India has shifted a goal post. It can be said with great certainty that now cultural nationalism occupies centerstage and not civic or constitutional nationalism. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Constitutional and civic nationalism draws power from the Constitution whereas cultural nationalism draws power from civilizational heritage. Though it should be stated that despite multiple debates in the Constituent Assembly, the word "secular" could not find a place in the Indian Constitution until Indira Gandhi decided to push it during the Emergency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite&nbsp;Indira Gandhi pushing it in 1970s, she herself became aware of the emergence of a united Hindu undercurrent leading her to visit multiple temples in the 1980s. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did not visit the Somnath temple for the post-renovation ceremony, but it was attended by Republic’s first President Rajendra Prasad. The faultline in the republic existed from the beginning. It is for this reason that some of the most contentious issues found their way into the Directive Principle except secularism and socialism.</p>

<p>The presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not lead to the demise of the secular state. It only establishes a religious Hindu opposed to a cultural Hindu which used to be the fashionable idea till the late 1970s. It will not disenfranchise the minorities, but it does recreate a different idea of India which was at the fringe for the first 50 years of independence.</p>

<p>India under BJP in its second avatar has embraced ancient cultural symbols very closely. It is acknowledged in public. These symbols were part of the heritage from the Constitution to Parliament to the President House.&nbsp;Indic imageries are painted very liberally. The only difference is that this time the attributes have been politically consumed in public by BJP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, it is farfetched to say that a Hindu Rashtra has been born but correct to say that cultural nationalism has finally displaced Constitutional nationalism in India because the liberal order itself lost faith in the secular project. It is not without reason that Congress got the gates of the then disputed site opened and the pooja was organized. The only danger in the current course is that it "others" Muslims and everything to do with medieval India. This can set dangerous precedence as "othering" is a freewheeling process and often ends with violence beyond belief.</p>

<p>Lastly, it also marks a departure from Ram Rajya which MK Gandhi conceived during the freedom struggle. The present form is more grandiose and global. The former was more inward-looking and spiritual. The present is more wedded to the idea of nation and global imprint of Ramayan as the latter was more wedded to the idea of the practice of moral life. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The Ayodhya temple will be grand and may also become a tourist hub but the government must ensure that it remains a shrine of worship and harmony instead of again being turned into a contested idea of a nation.</p>

<p><em><strong>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


It is for a reason, it is said that laws represent social consensus, but they don’t create social consensus. Communist regimes are the best example where the state enacted laws were used to recreate social consensus and change human behaviour.

It is for a reason, it is said that laws represent social consensus, but they don’t create social consensus. Communist regimes are the best example where the state enacted laws were used to recreate social consensus and change human behaviour. The idea failed. From the concept of private property to the idea of God, Communism failed to alter the system of ethics which had evolved in respective nations over centuries. Laws can be progressive and push people to alter practices but it cannot force a belief pattern. It is for this reason the Greek Orthodox Church made a complete recovery in Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed. Even secular Turkey is witnessing an Islamic resurgence and Hagia Sophia is a mosque again. A secular Iran in 1979 turned into a theological state and Afghanistan’s secularisation process resulted in an Islamic upsurge which is being piloted by Taliban today. India's case is different but tells a similar story. A story which demonstrates that social consensus and laws need to meet halfway. With Prime Minister Modi participating in the Ram Mandir groundbreaking ceremony, without changing the law, nationalism in India has shifted a goal post. It can be said with great certainty that now cultural nationalism occupies centerstage and not civic or constitutional nationalism. Constitutional and civic nationalism draws power from the Constitution whereas cultural nationalism draws power from civilizational heritage. Though it should be stated that despite multiple debates in the Constituent Assembly, the word "secular" could not find a place in the Indian Constitution until Indira Gandhi decided to push it during the Emergency. Despite Indira Gandhi pushing it in 1970s, she herself became aware of the emergence of a united Hindu undercurrent leading her to visit multiple temples in the 1980s. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did not visit the Somnath temple for the post-renovation ceremony, but it was attended by Republic’s first President Rajendra Prasad. The faultline in the republic existed from the beginning. It is for this reason that some of the most contentious issues found their way into the Directive Principle except secularism and socialism. The presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not lead to the demise of the secular state. It only establishes a religious Hindu opposed to a cultural Hindu which used to be the fashionable idea till the late 1970s. It will not disenfranchise the minorities, but it does recreate a different idea of India which was at the fringe for the first 50 years of independence. India under BJP in its second avatar has embraced ancient cultural symbols very closely. It is acknowledged in public. These symbols were part of the heritage from the Constitution to Parliament to the President House. Indic imageries are painted very liberally. The only difference is that this time the attributes have been politically consumed in public by BJP. So, it is farfetched to say that a Hindu Rashtra has been born but correct to say that cultural nationalism has finally displaced Constitutional nationalism in India because the liberal order itself lost faith in the secular project. It is not without reason that Congress got the gates of the then disputed site opened and the pooja was organized. The only danger in the current course is that it "others" Muslims and everything to do with medieval India. This can set dangerous precedence as "othering" is a freewheeling process and often ends with violence beyond belief. Lastly, it also marks a departure from Ram Rajya which MK Gandhi conceived during the freedom struggle. The present form is more grandiose and global. The former was more inward-looking and spiritual. The present is more wedded to the idea of nation and global imprint of Ramayan as the latter was more wedded to the idea of the practice of moral life. The Ayodhya temple will be grand and may also become a tourist hub but the government must ensure that it remains a shrine of worship and harmony instead of again being turned into a contested idea of a nation. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Ram temple: Constitutional nationalism has finally been displaced by cultural nationalism

<p>Has Ram Rajya been rebooted in Ayodhya today? The great ideal of governance, the prime minister seemed to imply in his speech after the foundation laying ceremony is to be followed henceforth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whenever there was a departure from its exalted ideals, there have been evil consequences. Lyrical as all this is, it seems to indicate India has embraced a vision of New India that has firmly discarded the political wrong turns of the past few decades. The grand temple at Lord Ram’s birthplace is expected to be ready by 2024 when India goes into its next general election.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, with China being intransigent at Pangong Tso and the Depsang plain, with it surreptitious massing troops at Lipulekh and at Arunachal Pradesh, a limited war seems inevitable. China does not seem to understand that its earlier strategies and tactics are not working anymore.</p>

<p>India is wary and watchful for the moment but is still preparing for a successful two-front war with both Pakistan and China. The sharp conflict when it comes and it is unlikely to be more than a few months away must be decisive in India’s favour.</p>

<p>India has a way of being fateful in the loss of Pakistani territory. It helped Bangladesh to be born in 1971 in place of East Pakistan. The US Nixon-Kissinger administration was opposed to it and sent in the Seventh Fleet into the Bay of Bengal. But it only ensured that India did not attempt to keep any part of East Pakistan for itself or impose harsh conditions on Pakistan and its 93,000 prisoners of war at the Simla Summit between Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi afterwards.</p>

<p>Once again, the wheel of fortune has turned full circle, this time catalysed also by China. India could soon be liberating the original, mostly Shia inhabitants of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan. The locals have indicated that they would welcome the prospect of being part of India.&nbsp;The Chinese, however, are at Ladakh to try and prevent it, by padding their access areas to Siachen, Akshai Chin and indeed Gilgit-Baltistan with more salami-sliced Indian territory.</p>

<p>China has been concerned ever since Ladakh became a Union Territory (UT), and India began to finish a complex of pucca road links and associated facilities to the high altitude airport at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO). And another 1,000 km of roads and tunnels, bridges all along the LAC to speed up troop and armament deployment on our side of the divide. Until the Modi regime came into power in 2014, it was only the Chinese who were doing it.</p>

<p>The Karakoram Pass under Chinese occupation presently is just 10 km away from DBO and China’s gateway into Xinjiang. Akshai Chin is China’s road access into Tibet. What is India thinking?</p>

<p>The Chinese plan in Ladakh was to intimidate and frighten India into retreat by a show of strength. But things have gone bad for them with the stout Indian response and this time America and all its allies are in diplomatic support of India.</p>

<p>The flagship China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), already invested with over $ 50 billion in Chinese money could be under threat from India. China wants to avoid this. Meanwhile, the US and its allies are not at all happy with China’s belligerence in the South China Sea against Japan and Taiwan not to mention Hong Kong.</p>

<p>India could be waiting for a conflict to break out in the South China Sea area. That would create two, or perhaps three fronts for China if it wants to come to Pakistan’s aid too.</p>

<p>The Malacca Straits can become yet another choke point against Chinese hegemony. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, China is uniquely unpopular in the global community.</p>

<p>Another remarkable shift is in the positioning of New India. It has not only tackled old and intractable issues in J&amp;K and Ladakh over the last year, but has also resolved the centuries-old problem at Ayodhya. The foundation ceremony took place exactly one year after J&amp;K was integrated into the rest of India.</p>

<p>All this actual decisiveness does not conform to the smug stereotyping of the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP).&nbsp;</p>

<p>After 6.5 years of Modi Raj, the ideological departures from the multiple Congress governments are undeniable. The education policy is the latest of many departures from the past though it is early days yet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There is a great push towards infrastructure and communications modernisation. Defence production and greater self-reliance in this strategic sector is beginning to be taken very seriously.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not all parts of the private sector, academia, the media and bureaucracy are hostile to the BJP led government. The public approval ratings of the prime minister have been high and unwavering through thick and thin. There is a mandate for change of the old order and it is not just electoral but also sociological.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is a country that has evolved and seeks to consolidate its identity for the 21st century when India could well be a major global force. Modi Raj has helped people glimpse these new possibilities.</p>

<p>On the economic front, there have been absolutely no corruption scandals at all. Subsidies and grants meant for the poor are paid directly to beneficiaries without middle-man leakage.</p>

<p>There is a new surety of purpose when it comes to national interest. There is very little international preaching as was the Indian habit in earlier years. And less hankering after international approval too. Instead, India works with all sides of the fence if it suits its needs, and is quite clear it will continue to do so. The US, Britain, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Russia amongst others appreciate India’s new diplomatic candour.</p>

<p>The Modi regime has considerably upped the ante for Pakistan sponsored terrorists, killing hundreds in Indian territory. It has also struck across the LoC, first with a commando raid near Uri, and then an Air Force executed bomb strike at Balakote. Taking the battle to the enemy will now not be confined just to Pakistan.</p>

<p>Chinese intrusions will not be countenanced. India is taking military, diplomatic and economic measures to punish China.</p>

<p>China will also not be allowed to grab Bhutanese territory. In the process of the conflict yet to come, it is likely India will recapture territory stolen from it from way back in the 1950s. It could help liberate Tibet in addition to PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. The world is watching and India is not shirking its responsibilities.</p>

<p>This new set of attitudes and possibilities are just one part of the Chinese nightmare concerning India, and any amount of bluster is not working to deter it.</p>

<p><em><strong>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Has Ram Rajya been rebooted in Ayodhya today? The great ideal of governance, the prime minister seemed to imply in his speech after the foundation laying ceremony is to be followed henceforth.

Has Ram Rajya been rebooted in Ayodhya today? The great ideal of governance, the prime minister seemed to imply in his speech after the foundation laying ceremony is to be followed henceforth. Whenever there was a departure from its exalted ideals, there have been evil consequences. Lyrical as all this is, it seems to indicate India has embraced a vision of New India that has firmly discarded the political wrong turns of the past few decades. The grand temple at Lord Ram’s birthplace is expected to be ready by 2024 when India goes into its next general election. Meanwhile, with China being intransigent at Pangong Tso and the Depsang plain, with it surreptitious massing troops at Lipulekh and at Arunachal Pradesh, a limited war seems inevitable. China does not seem to understand that its earlier strategies and tactics are not working anymore. India is wary and watchful for the moment but is still preparing for a successful two-front war with both Pakistan and China. The sharp conflict when it comes and it is unlikely to be more than a few months away must be decisive in India’s favour. India has a way of being fateful in the loss of Pakistani territory. It helped Bangladesh to be born in 1971 in place of East Pakistan. The US Nixon-Kissinger administration was opposed to it and sent in the Seventh Fleet into the Bay of Bengal. But it only ensured that India did not attempt to keep any part of East Pakistan for itself or impose harsh conditions on Pakistan and its 93,000 prisoners of war at the Simla Summit between Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi afterwards. Once again, the wheel of fortune has turned full circle, this time catalysed also by China. India could soon be liberating the original, mostly Shia inhabitants of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan. The locals have indicated that they would welcome the prospect of being part of India. The Chinese, however, are at Ladakh to try and prevent it, by padding their access areas to Siachen, Akshai Chin and indeed Gilgit-Baltistan with more salami-sliced Indian territory. China has been concerned ever since Ladakh became a Union Territory (UT), and India began to finish a complex of pucca road links and associated facilities to the high altitude airport at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO). And another 1,000 km of roads and tunnels, bridges all along the LAC to speed up troop and armament deployment on our side of the divide. Until the Modi regime came into power in 2014, it was only the Chinese who were doing it. The Karakoram Pass under Chinese occupation presently is just 10 km away from DBO and China’s gateway into Xinjiang. Akshai Chin is China’s road access into Tibet. What is India thinking? The Chinese plan in Ladakh was to intimidate and frighten India into retreat by a show of strength. But things have gone bad for them with the stout Indian response and this time America and all its allies are in diplomatic support of India. The flagship China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), already invested with over $ 50 billion in Chinese money could be under threat from India. China wants to avoid this. Meanwhile, the US and its allies are not at all happy with China’s belligerence in the South China Sea against Japan and Taiwan not to mention Hong Kong. India could be waiting for a conflict to break out in the South China Sea area. That would create two, or perhaps three fronts for China if it wants to come to Pakistan’s aid too. The Malacca Straits can become yet another choke point against Chinese hegemony. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, China is uniquely unpopular in the global community. Another remarkable shift is in the positioning of New India. It has not only tackled old and intractable issues in J&K and Ladakh over the last year, but has also resolved the centuries-old problem at Ayodhya. The foundation ceremony took place exactly one year after J&K was integrated into the rest of India. All this actual decisiveness does not conform to the smug stereotyping of the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP). After 6.5 years of Modi Raj, the ideological departures from the multiple Congress governments are undeniable. The education policy is the latest of many departures from the past though it is early days yet. There is a great push towards infrastructure and communications modernisation. Defence production and greater self-reliance in this strategic sector is beginning to be taken very seriously. Not all parts of the private sector, academia, the media and bureaucracy are hostile to the BJP led government. The public approval ratings of the prime minister have been high and unwavering through thick and thin. There is a mandate for change of the old order and it is not just electoral but also sociological. It is a country that has evolved and seeks to consolidate its identity for the 21st century when India could well be a major global force. Modi Raj has helped people glimpse these new possibilities. On the economic front, there have been absolutely no corruption scandals at all. Subsidies and grants meant for the poor are paid directly to beneficiaries without middle-man leakage. There is a new surety of purpose when it comes to national interest. There is very little international preaching as was the Indian habit in earlier years. And less hankering after international approval too. Instead, India works with all sides of the fence if it suits its needs, and is quite clear it will continue to do so. The US, Britain, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Russia amongst others appreciate India’s new diplomatic candour. The Modi regime has considerably upped the ante for Pakistan sponsored terrorists, killing hundreds in Indian territory. It has also struck across the LoC, first with a commando raid near Uri, and then an Air Force executed bomb strike at Balakote. Taking the battle to the enemy will now not be confined just to Pakistan. Chinese intrusions will not be countenanced. India is taking military, diplomatic and economic measures to punish China. China will also not be allowed to grab Bhutanese territory. In the process of the conflict yet to come, it is likely India will recapture territory stolen from it from way back in the 1950s. It could help liberate Tibet in addition to PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. The world is watching and India is not shirking its responsibilities. This new set of attitudes and possibilities are just one part of the Chinese nightmare concerning India, and any amount of bluster is not working to deter it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Has Ram Rajya been rebooted today?

<p>India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took part in the groundbreaking ceremony at the Ram temple site in Ayodhya.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-you-should-know-before-ram-mandir-bhoomi-puja-318075"><strong>See Pics:&nbsp;What you should know about Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony</strong></a></p>

<p>PM Modi first offered prayers along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the Hanumangarhi temple near the Ram temple site. The Indian prime minister was gifted a headgear, stole and silver "mukut" by the temple's chief priest.</p>

<p>After his visit to Hanumangarhi temple, the prime minister proceeded to 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi' site where he took part in a prayer ceremony&nbsp;of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'&nbsp;before laying the foundation stone.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-leaves-from-delhi-for-ayodhya-to-attend-bhoomi-pujan-318264/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Addressing the devotees at the Ram temple site, India's prime minister said: "I would like to thank everyone on behalf of 130 crore Indians for their efforts in Ram Mandir," adding, "anyone and everyone who is watching this event is emotional and Lord Ram's blessing is with all of us."</p>

<p>"Ram is alive inside in all of us, if we want to get inspired, we do it by Lord Ram. India is writing a new chapter in its history. Our decades' long wait has come to an end," he said.</p>

<p>"Ram Mandir will become the modern symbol of our traditions. It'll become a symbol of our devotion, our national sentiment. This temple will also symbolise the power of collective resolution of crores of people. It will keep inspiring the future generations," the Indian Prime minister said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ayodhya-ram-temple-updates-modi-PM-ram-temple-bhoomi-poojan-live-blog-groundbreaking-ceremony-at-ram-temple-site-in-ayodhya-underway-318200"><strong>Blog:&nbsp;Offering, sacrifice, struggle, resolution led to this historic day, asserts PM Modi in Ayodhya</strong></a></p>

<p>The Indian prime minister also planted a Parijat (Indian night jasmine) sapling ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony. PM Modi offered prayers to Ram Lalla and performed "sashtang pranam"&nbsp;(prostration) at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya</p>

<p>Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat also took part in the "Bhoomi Pujan"&nbsp;ceremony at the Ram Janam Bhoomi site in Ayodhya along with several guests.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-pm-modi-will-first-visit-hanumangarhi-temple-in-ayodhya-318269">Also Read:&nbsp;Why PM Modi first visited Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya</a></p>

<p>"A grand temple will now be built for our Ram Lalla who had been staying in a tent. Today Ram Janam Bhoomi breaks free of the cycle of breaking and getting built again that had been going on for centuries," the Indian prime minister said.</p>

<p>"From Kanyakumari to Kshirbhavani, from Koteshwar to Kamakhya, from Jagannath to Kedarnath, Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath...today entire country is immersed in Lord Ram," PM Modi added.</p>


India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took part in the groundbreaking ceremony at the Ram temple site in Ayodhya. See Pics: What you should know about Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony PM Modi first offered prayers along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the Hanumangarhi temple near the Ram temple site.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took part in the groundbreaking ceremony at the Ram temple site in Ayodhya. See Pics: What you should know about Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony PM Modi first offered prayers along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the Hanumangarhi temple near the Ram temple site. The Indian prime minister was gifted a headgear, stole and silver "mukut" by the temple's chief priest. After his visit to Hanumangarhi temple, the prime minister proceeded to 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi' site where he took part in a prayer ceremony of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman' before laying the foundation stone. Watch: Addressing the devotees at the Ram temple site, India's prime minister said: "I would like to thank everyone on behalf of 130 crore Indians for their efforts in Ram Mandir," adding, "anyone and everyone who is watching this event is emotional and Lord Ram's blessing is with all of us." "Ram is alive inside in all of us, if we want to get inspired, we do it by Lord Ram. India is writing a new chapter in its history. Our decades' long wait has come to an end," he said. "Ram Mandir will become the modern symbol of our traditions. It'll become a symbol of our devotion, our national sentiment. This temple will also symbolise the power of collective resolution of crores of people. It will keep inspiring the future generations," the Indian Prime minister said. Blog: Offering, sacrifice, struggle, resolution led to this historic day, asserts PM Modi in Ayodhya The Indian prime minister also planted a Parijat (Indian night jasmine) sapling ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony. PM Modi offered prayers to Ram Lalla and performed "sashtang pranam" (prostration) at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat also took part in the "Bhoomi Pujan" ceremony at the Ram Janam Bhoomi site in Ayodhya along with several guests. Also Read: Why PM Modi first visited Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya "A grand temple will now be built for our Ram Lalla who had been staying in a tent. Today Ram Janam Bhoomi breaks free of the cycle of breaking and getting built again that had been going on for centuries," the Indian prime minister said. "From Kanyakumari to Kshirbhavani, from Koteshwar to Kamakhya, from Jagannath to Kedarnath, Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath...today entire country is immersed in Lord Ram," PM Modi added.

Ram temple symbolises the power of collective resolution of crores of people, says PM Modi in Ayodhya

PM Modi in Ayodhya: Hanumangarhi temple to Ram temple site